Australian overconfidence is nothing new but this could be the Wallabies best shot at regaining the Bledisloe Cup in a decade.
Many Wallabies teams, regardless of their form, have arrived in New Zealand with a swagger only to be duly dispatched. Such contrasting personas have long typified the entrenched trans-Tasman rivalry.
This year is different, though. The sight of two journalists from rival publications in Auckland this week is but one sure sign of rugby's revival in Australia and, indeed, genuine Bledisloe hope. So, too, is the sold out test in Perth next week.
In recent years, Australian editors were largely unwilling to send reporters to accompany the Wallabies to New Zealand with the belief the Bledisloe was a fait accompli.
Not this year.
The shift is two pronged.
Firstly, Joe Schmidt has transformed the Wallabies following their worst World Cup in history to one refereeing decision away from stunning the British and Irish Lions against all odds.
The Wallabies then went toe-to-toe with the world champion Springboks in South Africa, splitting two Tests there which included scoring 38 unanswered points at Ellis Park in one of the all-time great comebacks.
Another 1-1 home series against the Pumas followed, with captain Harry Wilson etching his name into Wallabies folklore by turning down multiple shots at goal to back his men to pull off victory in Townsville.
The All Blacks, meanwhile, have consistently flattered to deceive to fall well short of expectations 18 months into Scott Robertson's tenure. Their win, loss, win, loss record thus far in the Rugby Championship is testament to the continued frustrations circling Robertson's seemingly vulnerable team.
Emerging from their darkest day, their heaviest defeat in history in which they leaked 36 unanswered points against the Springboks in Wellington and missed 46 tackles in a staggering second half collapse, the All Blacks are again expected to respond at their spiritual Eden Park home, particularly after regaining influential starters Cam Roigard, Codie Taylor, and Caleb Clarke.
But as their fluctuating form suggests, nothing is a given with this team.
Their intent to harness the hurt is clear, though.
"We've had a good look in the mirror," Taylor said. "The coaches have taken it on board but as players we're the ones out there, we're the ones who need to fix it.
"It hurt. Had the week off so I'm pretty sure most of us had a pretty sore heart around letting down the jersey, our country.
"There's been a lot of words out there, a lot of noise. We're the ones in this circle in this environment and we're the ones who have to respond. It doesn't matter what people say we're the ones who are wearing the jersey so we've got to make sure we do it with pride and we get a result."
History is, of course, stacked against the Wallabies.
Some 39 years -- 14,266 days -- ago Michael Lynagh started the Wallabies last success at Eden Park. These days his 22-year-old son Tom, who remains injured this week, is among the Wallabies squad.
The Wallabies have lost their last nine matches against the All Blacks, with their last victory on New Zealand shores back in 2001 at Dunedin's old Carisbrook stadium.
And the All Blacks have held the Bledisloe, a trophy they consider second only to the World Cup, for 22 years.
Schmidt, though, has clearly instilled a depth of character, resilience, belief and collective understanding in the Wallabies. Their new breed, the likes of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Max Jorgensen, appear unburdened by the weight of history and the litany of previous failed Bledisloe heists.
The Wallabies chances are hurt this week by losing powerhouse forwards Will Skelton and Rob Valetini and starting fullback Andrew Kellaway to injury.
But if they can weather the inevitable All Blacks backlash and remain competitive to evoke nerves, the jitters could set in.
The Wallabies have scored nine tries in the final quarter of this Rugby Championship, while the All Blacks, with 10, have conceded the most second half tries in the tournament, to point to the blueprint to unsettling Robertson's men.
"They're always a threat," Robertson said of the Wallabies. "Our games were pretty close last year. They stayed in the fight especially that first test. Bledisloes historically through all of them they come out throwing and they'll back themselves. That's what we expect on Saturday night.
"We're clear in our areas. We know how Aussie are going to play. Once you've been hurt and stung like we were the best thing to do is play. It can't come round quick enough."
One final dash of pregame spice comes in the form of Robertson versus Schmidt.
In Ian Foster's book, Schmidt took aim at Robertson's integrity after he agitated for change during the depths of his predecessor's tumultuous All Blacks tenure.
"The pressure that was being exerted was contributed to by not just New Zealand Rugby, but people aiming up at 'Fozzie' [Foster]," Schmidt said in Foster's book.
"There was a podcast -- with Jim Hamilton and Scott Robertson. That's in the public domain. That was a pressure point and an advertisement that he [Robertson] wanted to win the World Cup with two different teams. And he [Robertson] applied pressure by starting an interview with 'Bula' when there was talk of the Fijian job being open. That was happening in the foreground, not the background. That was the tip of the iceberg, and it was bloody awkward for Foz."
What better way for Schmidt to one up Robertson than to stun the All Blacks on their sacred Eden Park turf and set up a Bledisloe decider in Perth.
It's a tall order, sure, but one that seems more attainable than any other in recent memory.